As Chef Salil Bhandari moved from New Delhi to Chicago at the age of 20, he carried with him the flavors of home but not the traditional path of an Indian chef. Instead of mastering curry bases and spice blends in India, Bhandari learned the craft of cooking in America, rooted in French, Italian, and Spanish techniques. That unconventional start, combined with a deeply personal journey toward health, would later shape the foundation of his restaurant, Haldi Chowk, a place where cultural fusion and wellness harmoniously meet.
"I didn't learn cooking in India," Bhandari says. "I learned it in Chicago, through French techniques. But I grew up eating Indian food, and a lot of it. So I know the essence of our flavors. My approach is to merge both words."
